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Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Westerham - Godswallop |  | 1 |
| Westerham - Audit Ale | | 1 |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | | 1 |
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | | 2 |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | | 1 |
| Titanic - Cherry Porter | | 2 |
| Larkins - Pale | | 3 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) |  | 3 |
| Bowland - Pheasant Plucker | | 1 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Honey Dark | | 1 |
| Batemans - Hooker | | 1 |
| Marston's - Pedigree |  | 1 |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | | 1 |
| Ossett - White Rat | | 1 |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | | 1 |
| Robinsons - Hop & Under | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wadworth - Dirty Rucker | Not Tried | 0 |
| St Austell - Anthem | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | Not Tried | 0 |
| Shepherd Neame - Bishops Finger | Not Tried | 0 |
| Leeds - Leeds Best | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - DB Number One | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - God's Wallop | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brains - SA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bath Ales - Gem Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Abbot | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Black Noise | Not Tried | 0 |
| Leeds - Best | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bowland - Boxer Blonde | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ringwood - Razorback | Not Tried | 0 |
| Black Sheep - Respire | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - The Importance Of | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Red India Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - Spirit of Kent XXX Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
08 Mar 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close. Very noisy inside with lots of raised voices competing.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Palmers IPA seems to have lost its hop nose and bitterness of late, making it often rather bland |
| Marston's - Pedigree | 4.50 | | Poured flattish, sure not the pub's fault at all, but multiple vigorous decantings between two pint glasses made for some head and life. |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Red India Ale | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Black Noise | 4.50 | Not Tried |
06 Mar 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Honey Dark | 4.80 | | Shared it to be a chaser for a bottle of Sambrook's Imperial Stout! |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | | Rare for here, felt tired and bland |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Black Noise | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Bowland - Boxer Blonde | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Black Sheep - Respire | 4.00 | Not Tried |
01 Mar 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | In full flavoured form |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Does not always taste the same |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Bath Ales - Gem Bitter | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Black Noise | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Bowland - Boxer Blonde | 4.00 | Not Tried |
27 Feb 2024 (Magnus Greel)
Smoking was still allowed in pubs when I last came here thus I distinctly remember the air was so thick with smoke you could've cut through it with a knife in this hermetically sealed stuffy pub. Not this time on a late afternoon fairly busy with folk enjoying their beers. Reminds me of a northern working mans club in the style of Phoenix Nights!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Sweet salty syrupy ale. |
| Bowland - Pheasant Plucker | 3.70 | | Piney with a honey sweetness. |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - God's Wallop | 4.00 | Not Tried |
23 Feb 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titanic - Cherry Porter | 4.90 | | Good nightcap |
| Westerham - Godswallop | 5.00 | | Strong dark ale |
| Shepherd Neame - Bishops Finger | 5.00 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Leeds - Leeds Best | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Bowland - Pheasant Plucker | 3.70 | Not Tried |
16 Feb 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | 4.80 | | Still in fine form after several days |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Best of this ale I have had in a long time |
| Batemans - Hooker | 4.50 | | Florally hopped |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Wadworth - Dirty Rucker | 3.90 | Not Tried |
14 Feb 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close after a Tramlink part bus journey.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | 4.80 | | In fine form |
| Titanic - Cherry Porter | 4.90 | | Good with bitterness overriding the fruitiness |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Probably last out of the cask |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Batemans - Hooker | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Wadworth - Dirty Rucker | 3.90 | Not Tried | Came on late on |
| St Austell - Anthem | 3.80 | Not Tried | Came on late on |
07 Feb 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westerham - Audit Ale | 6.20 | | A heady brew and excellent enough to have a second one without hesitation |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Good but not up to scratch. Overfobbed on pouring and fresh on mouthfeel |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - Spirit of Kent XXX Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Robinsons - Hop & Under | 4.20 | Not Tried |
30 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | 4.30 | | No doubt as Landlord should be |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Pale recipe tweaked I wonder |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Ringwood - Razorback | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - The Importance Of | 4.20 | Not Tried |
26 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ossett - White Rat | 4.00 | | Awful. A murky mess. No idea what it was or was supposed to be. Fortunately no off flavours |
| Brains - SA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | Not Tried | Spot on, fresh on tonight and and very well balanced |
| Leeds - Best | 4.30 | Not Tried |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 273 |
| 148 |
| 19 |
 | 1 |
The pub is found in Addiscombe, Greater London, CR0 7AA.
Small low ceilinged pub close to Addiscombe Tram Stop in Bingham Corner, Lower Addiscombe Road. This pub is a regular outlet for Palmers beers. In November 2012 Palmers awarded the pub a certificate for having sold a total of 1,000,000 pints of Palmers Best Bitter (IPA) exceeding any other of its free trade outlets and in later years further greatly exceeded here and similarly certificated with 1,250,000th in 2019. 6 handpumps dispense the real ales and always at least 2 ciders served by a walk to the ground floor cellar, the latter of late not being real ones however. Beers in the cellar and due to come on are listed on a wallboard. Changed hands in 2016 with slight change of name from Claret Free House to Claret & Ale but little else has changed. 6 handpumps. Regular winner of the local CAMRA branch Borough Pub of the Year award. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 209 times, seen 304 different beers and tried 99 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA